This invention relates to an apparatus and method for handling business forms and, more particularly for delivering compacted forms to a transport for relocation.
This invention is an improvement on the printed forms transport (hereafter "PFT") of Wallace Computer Services, Inc., of Hillside, Ill. and also the competitive prior art transport seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,233.
The PFT is a receiver for zig-zag folded forms which normally have been generated by a computer printer and folder/compactor. These machines operate at high speed and it is difficult to coordinate them with other machines employed by companies who process large volumes of business forms.
Usually, the output of the computer printer and folder/compactor goes to a machine called an inserter--sometimes referred to as a forms utilization unit. In many instances, the machinery creating the final forms is located in one section of a forms processing plant while the inserter(s) are located in another area. This has necessitated the need for transport from the first to the second area. It was for this purpose that the PFT and '233 constructions were developed. These constructions were expensive and users sought cheaper and more easily handled ways of relocating stacks of zig-zag folded forms.
One proposal was to use the stacking cart of U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,889. Although this proved less expensive, the cart lacked the flexibility and utility of a transport developed specifically for zig-zag folded stacks of business forms. These drawbacks have been overcome by the instant invention.
First, the PFT has been modified and a novel printed stack transport (hereafter "PST") provided. The PFT is equipped with removable tine assemblies for stack support and the PST equipped with a slotted platform for receipt of the tines incident to transfer of a stack. It will be appreciated that stack transfer is a crucial step in the relocation of the printed forms and absolute reliability is necessary. The destruction or disablement of even one printed form can upset the carefully controlled program of handling of forms--such as numbered bills, personalized letters, etc. Through the cooperation of the novel PFT and PST, this problem is solved and a high degree of reliability achieved.
The PFT includes a box means which is pivotably mounted on an undercarriage so that the box means and the business forms thereon can be pivoted to a vertical position. The box means is provided with a slot adjacent each end thereof, and a generally U-shaped tine assembly is slidably insertable into each slot. Business forms can be introduced into either end of the box means by inserting a tine assembly into the slot at one end and introducing the forms at the other end.
Each tine assembly includes a pair of tines and a generally triangular brace attached to each tine. The tine assembly at the end of the box means which supports the stack of forms is positioned so that the braces are on the sides of the tines opposite the forms. The tine assembly at the other end of the box means can be positioned so that the braces are engageable with the forms to facilitate compacting the forms on the box means.
The reliability of the PST is also promoted through a novel superstructure arrangement. Above the platform, the PST is equipped with upstanding walls which define a plurality of recesses. Each recess is itself defined by one wall that is vertical and a second wall that is inclined to the vertical. The platform is perpendicular to this second wall. The wall/platform arrangement promotes stack transfer while at the same time promotes stack integrity, i.e., avoids undesirable "lean".
Other features and advantages of the invention may be seen in the details set down in the ensuing specification.